The state of Ohio has passed a law that bans new ownership of exotic animals. It requires current owners of exotic animals to carry a certain amount of insurance on them. This is in response to the tragedy that happened in Ohio in October of 2011, when an owner of exotic animals released them into the public.
In October of 2011, a man named Terry Thompson let 56 animals escape from his private zoo that was located on his farm in Zanesville, Ohio. He then committed suicide. The animals included black bears, mountain lions, Bengal tigers, and more. I remember watching this story as it was reported on the television news. Authorities had to round up the exotic animals, in order to protect the public. They had to kill 48 of the 56 animals.
This incident made it very obvious that Ohio needed to strengthen the regulations and laws that go along with the ownership of exotic animals. A bill about this was passed by both the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate.
People in Ohio who currently own lions, tigers, and other exotic animals, would be required to purchase liability insurance coverage. The price would begin at $500, and can go as high as $1 million. It depends on the number of animals that a person is keeping.
Current owners also will be required to pass a background check. They must be able to show inspectors that they are adhering to care standards for the animals. Owners also have to be able to show that they are taking safety measures, such as fencing their property. They also must post warning signs every ten feet around their property.
What if a current owner of a tiger, or lion, can’t afford the insurance? They can obtain surety bonds in lieu of liability insurance coverage. The Ohio Department of Agriculture might be able to issue temporary waivers to owners who are trying to get the accreditation to obtain a permit for the animals that they already own.
People who have are disabled and are using service monkeys are exempt from the liability insurance requirement. People who own constricting snakes that are less than 12 feet long are also exempt. Facilities that have been accredited by some national zoo groups are also exempt from having to purchase this type of insurance. So are accredited sanctuaries and research institutions.
Image by William Warby on Flickr